Kirk Cousins update: Not expected to sign with Redskins before deadline

The Washington Redskins and quarterback Kirk Cousins are reportedly unlikely to agree on a long-term deal before the July 17 deadline.

The deadline for players on the franchise tag to sign long-term deals with their respective teams is Monday, July 17, at 4 p.m. EST. Of the three tagged players, the most high-profile situation is with Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins, who simply can’t figure out a price for the future.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, it is not expected that the two sides get a contract worked out. If that is the case, Cousins will play for a whopping $24 million on the tag, which he has already signed. Cousins will be playing on the tag for the second straight year, which means he’s very likely to hit the free-agent market in 2018.

Schefter mentioned that Cousins would be willing to still talk with Washington after the season about a long-term deal, but he would be insane not to hit the market. The Redskins have had years to lock him up, instead forcing him to play on the tag in both 2016 and now, 2017. Both years, Cousins has signed the tag, willing to risk a potentially career-ending injury instead of holding out.

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Cousins is going to test free agency and when he does, expect him to be the highest-paid player in NFL history. The former Michigan State star turns 29 years old in August and is coming off a season that saw him rank third in passing yardage and yard per attempt. He’s going to get multiple offers from teams desperate for quarterbacks, perhaps including the San Francisco 49ers, who have Kyle Shanahan at head coach. Shanahan used to be the offensive coordinator in Washington when Cousins broke into the league.

By not signing Cousins, the Redskins are saying they don’t believe Cousins can win a Super Bowl. They are taking a gigantic risk.